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Ime Udoka After Houston Rockets' First Road Win: 'We Did an Incredible Job Defensively'

The Houston Rockets beat the Denver Nuggets in the Mile High City last night for their first road win of the season.
Jonah Kubicek|
Ime Udoka After Houston Rockets' First Road Win: 'We Did an Incredible Job Defensively'
Ime Udoka After Houston Rockets' First Road Win: 'We Did an Incredible Job Defensively'

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Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets finally won a game on the road, for the first time this season. The 114-106 win against the defending champion Denver Nuggets and Nikola Jokic wasn’t pretty, but a win is a win.

Jokic was held to 23 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists, which is considered an off night for him. Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. also added over 20 points, and both teams shot only 42 percent from the floor.

For Houston, it was their guards who led the way. Fred VanVleet and Jalen Green scored 26 and 25, respectively. Alperen Sengun contributed a double-double, and the team received praise for their effort on both ends of the floor.

“I think we did an incredible job defensively,” Ime Udoka said after the game. In the first half, Houston was cold from three but was able to outscore Denver by four points. In the third quarter, Houston took a commanding 92-74 lead, but nearly squandered it in the fourth quarter. Luckily, their shooting improved in the second half just enough to keep them in it.

“We were six of 25 from three [in the first half] and had pretty much all wide-open looks. Especially at the start, we missed a few. So we said keep taking those shots, be aggressive and they’ll fall and I think we’re seven of 14 in the second half,” Udoka said. “Shot it much better, got to the free throw line a ton, 42 free throws…and like I said, we guarded well so that’s a recipe for success.”

After barely skimming by Denver to take a 3-1 series lead, Udoka seemed pleased that Houston won’t have to play them again. “Unless it’s the playoffs we won’t see them again this year, I’m fine with it.”

Did Rockets 'Dodge Bullet' Not Signing Brook Lopez in Free Agency?

The way things have been shaping up for Houston so far, a playoff matchup with Denver seems more than likely as the Rockets’ rebuild looks to be coming to an end. 

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Jonah Kubicek
JONAH KUBICEK

Jonah Kubicek has been writing about the NBA since 2021, covering the Pistons, Jazz, Spurs, Magic, Rockets, and Knicks. As a lifelong Spurs fan living in Michigan, he never misses an opportunity to bring up the 2005 NBA Finals (you should have guarded Horry!). He is a long-suffering Tigers fan and closely follows the NFL, although he never found an affinity for the Lions. Jonah graduated from Oakland University with a degree in History and spends his spare time playing tennis or reading. Follow Jonah on Twitter for updates on Tre Jones and other NBA news.

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